


Lights Lay Out Before Us

by kaleidomusings



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Family, Family Feels, M/M, Soul Bond, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-15 22:47:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5803285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaleidomusings/pseuds/kaleidomusings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Working at Laketown Diner was far from glamorous, but it paid the bills and allowed Bard time during the day to spend with his children. </p>
<p>So the last thing he needed was an alpha -who may or may not be his soulmate- to disrupt the life he pieced together after his wife died.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt I got on [bleep0bleep's generator](http://bleep0bleep.tumblr.com/prompts), which was "restaurant, slow burn, alpha/beta/omega dynamics, on a roadtrip together". There are additional notes at the bottom, but I hope this all makes sense and that you enjoy reading it!

As soon as Bard stepped into the diner where he worked, Hilda Bianca cornered him on the way to the locker room and said, "I need you on the floor today."

Bard stared at her, not yet halfway out of his coat, and wondered if he was being pranked. But Hilda Bianca was nothing like Alfrid, who took vicious pleasure in being a little shit. "I'm a cook," Bard said, in case she might have forgotten after five years of working with him. "I'm not a server, Hilda."

" _Please_." She looked desperate and frazzled, so another worker must have quit on her. It was a common enough occurrence, especially with both the Master and Alfrid in charge of the restaurant no one stayed on the staff for very long. The only reason Bard stuck with it for as long as he did was because he needed the money. "Percy will man the kitchen, but you have to take the floor."

"Percy can't cook as well as I can," Bard protested. He didn't mean it in an unkind way though. It was just a fact that -while Percy was a good enough cook- Bard was better at it.

Hilda Bianca huffed and thrust an apron at him. "I love that man, but he doesn't know the first thing about talking to customers."

"I heard that!" Percy called good-naturedly from the kitchen.

"You were meant to hear it!" Hilda Bianca shouted back. 

As amused as Bard was, he didn't have a good feeling about all this. "Hilda…"

"Just for tonight," she pleaded. "Please, Bard."

And how was he supposed to say no to that? Bard sighed and decided to admit defeat. He could do this for one night. "Just this once," he said. 

\--

Halfway through his shift, Bard regretted his decision to help immensely. 

Laketown didn't have many customers even on a good day, but it was still a lot for just one person to handle the evening rush on their own. Although it was fine; he didn't really mind the fast pace and could handle rude and angry customers well enough, but what he hated most was how people sometimes leaned in to scent him. 

Bard used different kinds of products to mask his smell, but his hair still stood on end when an alpha or aggressive beta got too close. When that happened, Bard had no qualms about throwing them out on their asses, and Hilda Bianca and Percy would back him up when anyone refused to get the hint. Despite having never bonded before, he loved his wife, a beautiful beta and who had given him three wonderful children. And although his job was far from glamorous, it paid the bills and allowed him time to spend with his kids before he had to leave for work. He didn't need a stranger screwing that up for him after finally getting his life back on track when she died. 

So when the hour turned late and as things slowed down with only a few customers still hanging around, a gorgeous alpha with long pale hair dressed in an expensive suit walked in -looking painfully out of place against the diner's whitewashed walls and worn tables- Bard should have slipped out of the back door instead of letting his guard down. 

"Welcome to Laketown," Bard said as cheerfully as possible after hours spent on his feet, and having to change his apron several times after dealing with one overenthusiastic drunk too many. "I'm Bard and I'll be serving you today."

A chill ran down his spine when the alpha's nostrils flared, even though he knew his scent was carefully hidden and that this stranger couldn't possibly _know_. 

"Right this way, sir," Bard said quickly, trying not to show how unnerved he was at the way the alpha stared at him by leading him to an empty table. The alpha was clearly unimpressed with the cracked wood and torn seats, making Bard wonder what he was even doing here in the first place. "Here's our menu. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Just tea," the alpha said and made no move to touch the menu Bard placed on the table for him. 

It was almost a relief to escape behind the counter to prepare a cup of tea for his odd customer, but he could still feel the alpha's eyes follow his every move. Hilda Bianca looked concerned, but Bard waved her off. He only realized his mistake too late when he set the tea down as the alpha reached up for it, their fingers brushing against each other for one brief, heart-stopping moment. Bard gasped loudly as the alpha's eyes widened, knowing he felt the same thing he did. They were _bondmates_. 

When he was a child, he asked his parents how they knew they were bondmates. His father said it was the sound of her voice when they first exchanged words, while his mother said it was when they touched for the very first time, but from what he could understand it was that soulmates knew they were meant to be together at the very beginning. So Bard knew down to his very bones that he and this alpha were soulmates, his skin buzzing from that small touch. But Bard didn't want an alpha. He didn't want a soulmate and he didn't want anything to change the life he managed to build for himself. 

His panic must have showed on his face, because the alpha reached a hand toward him out of concern and perhaps pity. But Bard stumbled away and immediately whatever sympathy he saw in the alpha's eyes shuttered into forced blankness. 

"My apologizes," the alpha said, his voice sounding deeper than it had a moment ago. It made Bard shiver, his hand still tingling from where they touched, and that frightened him. 

"Thranduil!" 

Bard and the alpha - _his alpha_ \- looked up as the Master made his way toward them. The Master of Laketown wasn't his real name, but that was what everyone called him. It wasn't so much that he was the master of anything and was hardly worthy of the title, but it properly encompassed such a pompous and greedy man. Even Thranduil seemed disgusted by him, but it flickered away almost instantly and the Master didn't seem to notice at all. 

"So good of you to come," the Master said and extended his hand. 

Thranduil didn't even spare it a glance. "You said there was something important you wished to discuss with me."

The Master floundered, looking quite foolish as he gaped at Thranduil in surprise. But he recovered after a long moment and directed his snubbed pride at Bard instead. "What are you doing just standing there, Bard? Bring us the special and the best wine that we have."

Bard highly doubted that they carried any kind of wine that would be suitable enough for Thranduil's palate, but he knew better than to say so. Forcing a stiff nod, he hurried into the back to get away from the both of them. 

"Do you need me to take over for you, dear?" Hilda Bianca asked as Percy watched worriedly from the kitchen doorway. 

"I'm fine," he said, wondering if he sounded as breathless as he felt. "Two specials, Percy."

Percy quickly rushed to prepare the dishes while Hilda Bianca went to hunt down an appropriate wine. Bard took the opportunity to lean against the nearest wall, placing a hand over his hammering heartbeat, wondering how he would survive serving his bondmate without giving anything away to the Master.

"Here now, what's this then?" a voice demanded and Bard startled, slamming his elbow painfully against the wall. Alfrid scowled at him. "How clumsy can you be? They probably heard that out on the floor."

Bard wouldn't care if they did. He spent his whole life thinking he would never meet his soulmate and now Thranduil was just in the other room. How was he supposed to deal with that?

Alfrid stared at him. "What the hell is wrong with you? You're all… sweaty and red. For god's sake, what are you sticking around here for if you're sick? Go home."

"Why is the Master talking to that man?" Bard blurted out, the burning need to know making him reckless. 

"That's not your business, is it?" Alfrid sneered back. "Get out of here, Bard."

And in that moment Bard felt his hopes plummet, because even if Thranduil was his bondmate he couldn't be much of a good man to have dealings with the Master. The sudden bitterness welling up at the back of his throat seemed to choke him as he shoved past Alfrid, ignoring Hilda Bianca calling his name. 

He should have never let her talk him into serving tonight. He should have known better than to let an alpha catch him off guard. Not for the first time, he wished he could go back in time to prevent any of this from happening, because it was cruel to find out that someone like Thranduil was his other half, when he was the kind of person Bard wanted nothing to do with.

He would have preferred living in ignorance.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Bardlings make their appearance, as well as a couple other familiar faces. 
> 
> And Bard is a hero through and through.

Several days passed after meeting his alpha, but Bard hadn't seen any sign of Thranduil since. 

He couldn't say whether he was relieved or disappointed about it. Especially when he could feel his presence at the very edge of his awareness, like Thranduil was standing just out of his peripheral vision and Bard was unable to catch a glimpse of him, even though he knew he was there. He tried tugging on the premature ties between them more often than he was willing to admit, but Thranduil was still always just out of reach and that frustrated him. And it hurt to know that his bondmate was out there, but there was nothing he could do to close the distance between them.

Percy and Hilda Bianca were obviously worried about him and the way Bard couldn't help looking up when the bell over the diner entrance door jingled, scenting the air in case it was his alpha. The worst thing about it was -despite all the reasons doing so would be a bad idea- a part of him wanted to see Thranduil again. The other half of him, however, was apprehensive at the very idea of it. 

As a boy, Bard used to think finding his alpha would be a happy occasion. He thought once he knew he would finally find the love and acceptance he always wanted after years of teasing and slurs, but all he felt was tired. It was clear that his alpha didn't want him, and he was completely fine with that. What did he need an alpha for anyway? He already had children he loved and he supported them just fine on his own. 

Besides, he didn't want to be with someone just because hormones and a biological impulse told him to. Not to mention he knew nothing of Thranduil besides his name and meant to keep it that way, resisting the urge to look him up online or even dust off the Facebook account Sigrid set up for him ages ago just to find a picture of him. (Thranduil didn't seem the type to waste his time on social media anyway.) 

By the time the weekend rolled around, Bard could pretend he wasn't the least bothered at the thought of never seeing Thranduil again. 

So when Sigrid asked if she could invite a couple of her classmates over to their house for a group project, he readily agreed. She had started high school at the prestigious private school as a scholarship student and was having trouble making friends. It made him worry, which was why he thought nothing of it when he came home Saturday afternoon after picking up groceries to find the three of them sitting together in his living room.

Sigrid smiled as she got up to help him take one of the bags and the others stood as well. The tallest -a beta with blond hair and pale eyes- took the other bag just as Bain and Tilda ran down the stairs. 

"Anything else, Da?" Bain asked as Tilda threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his waist. 

"Just a couple more bags," he said and smoothed a hand over Tilda's hair, which was the same honey blonde his wife used to have. It was fortunate that his children took after her more than they did him, although Bain had his dark hair and Tilda had his eyes. 

"I'll help bring them in," Sigrid's other classmate -an alpha with long red hair- said as she followed Bain outside and apparently failed to notice the way Sigrid's eyes followed her. But Bard did, and he raised a brow at Sigrid, who caught his look and flushed red. It was endearing that his daughter liked someone, but it still pained him to think that her mother wasn't around to talk with her or give her advice. Especially for a situation as difficult as an alpha and alpha couple. 

Bain and the red haired alpha walked back in a short time later, talking pleasantly with one another and Bard hid a smile at Sigrid's jealous frown. After her classmates introduced themselves to him properly, Bard herded them and the children out to the living room while he put things away and got dinner started. He made spaghetti and meatballs with his mother's special tomato sauce, a garden salad with arugula and radishes, and cheesecake for dessert. 

"This is amazing," the blond beta -whose name was Legolas- said as he took a bite of the cheesecake. "Our cook at home doesn't even cook this well." 

The thought of a person being rich enough to have their own cook making meals for them everyday was difficult to imagine, but just said modestly, "It's an old family recipe."

"Da is the best chef in the whole world," Tilda declared, the pride evident in her voice.

"He went to culinary school and everything," Bain added. 

The red haired alpha, Tauriel, took a delicate bite of her own cheesecake and smiled. "Do you own a restaurant, sir?" 

Bard's appetite suddenly fled from him and he set his fork down, battling a wave of bitterness. "No," he said softly. "I'm afraid I don't. And just Bard is fine."

Opening his own restaurant had been a dream of his, but it was extremely difficult for omegas to own their own businesses even with an alpha to co-sign with them. The best he could manage was working at the Master's greasy old diner, and that was only because he couldn't find work anywhere else.

No one noticed his sudden change of mood except for Sigrid, but the topic moved on and after a while he could retreat to the kitchen sink under the guise of clearing away the dishes. The kids offered to help cleaning up, including Tauriel and Legolas, but he declined. As much as he appreciated it, doing dishes were one of the rare moments Bard had a quiet moment to himself. Not to mention the very idea of putting Sigrid's guests to work didn't sit well with him. 

By the time he was finished, Legolas, Tauriel, and Sigrid were sitting around the coffee table in the living with their schoolwork spread out around them. From what Sigrid told him, it was a report on some historical figure or another, but the conversation seemed to be on another subject entirely. 

"You're an alpha?" Tauriel asked Sigrid with a warm gaze, which seemed to dazzle her. "So am I."

Legolas' expression turned envious. "My father is an alpha, but I'm only a beta."

Sigrid blinked. "Is that such a big deal?" she asked. 

"I just wish I could be more like him," he said, sounding dramatically morose about it.

Tauriel patted the top of Legolas' head, laughing when he swatted at her offending hand. "He idolizes his father so much. It's kind of adorable, really."

"There's nothing wrong with being a beta," Sigrid assured him. "Most of my family are."

This seemed to catch both Legolas and Tauriel's attention. "But not all of them?" 

Sigrid forced a shrug, even if Bard could tell from across the room how nervous she was. "Mom was an omega," she said, in that halting way she had when she lied. 

It was a lie he taught his children to tell strangers shortly after their mother died. He hated to shame her memory like that, but the loss of his wife caused Bard's emotional state to send his body into distress, so his pheromones were out of control and suppressants didn't have an affect on him for nearly a year afterwards. He was afraid his children would be taken away if someone reported him, so he lied and said she had been an omega instead. People seemed to accept the idea of him being a beta mourning a omega than the thought of an omega overwhelmed with grief on the loose without an alpha or another beta to ground them. 

"Your father acts a lot like an alpha," Legolas said, interrupting Bard's thoughts. "I wouldn't think he was a beta at all."

It wasn't meant in an offensive way, Bard knew, but it still stung a little. A lot of his problems could be solved so easily if he had been born an alpha. 

"Then who did you inherit your alpha status from?" Tauriel asked.

"Her great-grandfather," Bard said, as he passed through the living room to press a kiss to Sigrid's hair. Girion was all but a forgotten name by now, but at one time he owned most of the city and served as mayor for a couple terms. When he was younger, he used to be proud of his ancestry, but it stopped having any meaning when his family lost everything. 

Sigrid saw the expression on his face and reached up to wind her arms around his neck. He gently squeezed back and glanced over at Tauriel and Legolas, offering a small smile. "I have to leave now, but feel free to come over again. I think Sigrid would like that."

"Dad," she said, embarrassed, but they both stood to shake his hand and promised they would. 

"Bain, Tilda! I'm going to work!" Bard called up the stairs and they immediately flew down to give him hugs. 

Tilda tugged on his hand. "Da, you said we could go to the park tomorrow," she reminded him. 

"I'll pack a special picnic for us," Bard promised and kissed her forehead.

"Be careful," Bain told him, like he did every night. It reminded Bard of his wife and how she used to worry about him too, but he knew how to take care of himself. So he simply waved at them over his shoulder after closing the door behind him and climbed into his piece of junk of a car. 

In retrospect, maybe he should have heeded Bain's advice. 

Although to be fair to himself, it wasn't as if he had been looking for a fight. But when he went outside to take out the garbage to the dumpster, he heard the sounds of a struggle in the alleyway out back and stepped in because it was the right thing to do. And if he punched in the face of an alpha who was trying to force himself on to some poor defenseless omega, no one could fault him for that now could they?

Except he'd forgotten that the Master and Alfrid have hated him since the beginning and were just waiting for the chance to fire him.

"What you did was irresponsible and unprofessional," the Master slurred, cheeks red and breath heavy with alcohol. 

"It was stupid, really," Alfrid said as he poured the Master another glass. "Reckless and idiotic. Not to mention-"

Bard immediately tuned him out as he droned on and on, glancing down at his bandaged hand. He didn't regret interfering. He saved that other omega, who had been safely taken away by paramedics and the police arrested the alpha responsible. One of the officers even clapped him on the shoulder and commended him taking action. 

It wasn't that he needed validation from a stranger, but it made him feel better knowing that there was one less omega out there with an unwanted pregnancy or left on the side of the road like trash.

"-That's what happens when an omega doesn't have an alpha to put them in their proper place," Alfrid said, which caught Bard's attention and made him glare at him.

"I do like you, Bard." The Master attempted a sincere look, which only made his skin crawl in response. "I've tried my best to do right by you, even when you're being a difficult employee."

"Quite right, sir. Quite right, " Alfrid said, head bobbing up and down in agreement. 

It took a great deal of self-control to keep from rolling his eyes. Bard put in every effort to do well at his job and had never once been late. The only time he ever took a day off was when there was an emergency with the kids. "Oh, I'm sure," he said sarcastically.

The Master scowled at his tone, but tried again to appeal to him. "Wouldn't it be better for you if there was someone strong and capable to take care of you? Someone to teach you how to be a proper omega?"

Bard laughed at the very idea. That was the last thing he wanted, and -even if he was dumb enough to do something like that- he definitely wouldn't choose the Master. "I prefer things just as they are, sir," he said.

"You won't have another opportunity like this again," the Master attempted to convince him.

"I appreciate it, but I have to decline." He would sooner light himself on fire than accept such an offer.

"Do you have any idea what you're turning down?" the Master asked, looking furious. "When you're nothing but a sorry excuse of an omega?"

It didn't matter to Bard one way or another what Alfrid or the Master thought of him. After all, being an omega was only one facet of who he was a person, not his identity as a whole. But in the privacy of his own thoughts and at night when he was alone in a cold empty bed, he wondered whether his wife would still be alive today if he had been a proper omega. Then maybe Thranduil would have-

But Bard couldn't help who he was. And he wouldn't want to, even if he could. So he didn't protest when the Master fired him and even had enough time to grab his belongings as well as say goodbye to Hilda Bianca and Percy before Alfrid threw him out. 

There was a little money he had saved up that would tide him and his family over for a couple months, but it was hardly enough to depend on. Expenses always piled up with three children, so he wouldn't have any peace of mind until he had some other source of income. He would have to look for another job in the morning.

But what he really needed right now was a drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are on the second chapter of an omegaverse fic, and there hasn't been a single kiss between these two hot dads. No one is more disappointed in me than I am, I assure you, but I promise that things will pick up in the next chapter. I just hope you can bear with me until then. 
> 
> In the meantime, please leave kudos and comments! Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bard goes drinking. It ends up being the both the worst and the best thing to ever happen to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry in advance for the short chapter, but it was sitting on my computer for the longest time and I didn't want to keep you all waiting anymore. I hope you enjoy it and I will do my best to have the next chapter up soon!

Ever since he was young, drinking and partying had never been something he enjoyed. Even during high school, he always felt guilty and worried he would get caught, which dampened whatever buzz he might have had. By the time he was at the legal age to drink, it lost its appeal. He mostly went drinking to hang out with his friends at the time (though he fell out of touch with them fairly quickly after graduating), but it was never worth it the next morning when he woke up with a splitting headache and nauseating taste in his mouth. 

So why he decided to come to a dingy little bar not far from the restaurant was a complete mystery to  him. His drink was overpriced and tasted like dirty lake water, but he downed the first glass and then another. The place was nearly empty except for the bartender -a stout, dark haired beauty with the loveliest blue eyes he's ever seen- who looked at him with worry as he swayed in his chair, nursing his third glass and pointedly ignoring her concern.

He wanted to forget, if only for a moment, that he hadn't completely failed his children in a way he promised his wife he never would. So for one night, he would be selfish. For one night, he would let himself be bitter over the fate he had been dealt, grieve the mother of his children, and be angry. Angry at Thranduil for how much Bard missed him, even though he never had him in the first place. 

Bard threw back the rest of his drink when another slid in front of him as if by magic. He blinked down at it and looked over to find an alpha sliding into the seat next to him. He was attractive he supposed, but in the way a forest fire was. Those amber eyes and red hair burned so bright but would destroy everything in its path. Because Bard knew his type, knew it was a bad idea to accept a drink from an alpha like this and didn't care.

"I couldn't help but notice that you were drinking alone," the alpha said, his voice deep and smooth and completely untrustworthy. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Bard shrugged and picked up the drink, tilting the glass toward the alpha in toast, watching the way the dark liquid turned gold in the light. "If you like."

"Leave him be," the bartender said, her mouth turned downward in a frown. "He doesn't need the likes of you sniffing at his heels."

The alpha tilted his head at her, coolly. "When I want your opinion, I'll ask for it. For now, bring my new friend and I another drink."

She flushed angrily and hurried into the back room, leaving Bard entirely alone with an alpha he didn't know. 

He took a long swallow of his glass. "Well?"

The alpha smiled, but there was nothing friendly about it. "Pardon?"

"Aren't you going to proposition me?"

"Would you like me to proposition you?" the alpha asked, bringing his own glass to his lips and watching Bard with those strange amber eyes. 

No, he really didn't. There was only one alpha that Bard wanted and he knew absolutely nothing about him, had no desire to find out, and apparently Thranduil felt the same way. 

"You can call me Smaug," the alpha said, when Bard continued to say nothing. His hand slid across the bar, like a snake toward its prey, and tightened around Bard's wrist like a vice. "What's your name?"

While Smaug was obviously not his real name, Bard didn't care one way or another whether this alpha knows his real name. After tonight, he wouldn't be stepping in this neighborhood again. "Bard."

Smaug smiled and leaned closer. "So what is a treasure like you doing here alone?" he asked.

Bard propped his chin on his free hand and smiled bitterly. "You alphas are all the same."

Smaug's eyes flashed. "How do you mean?"

"Arrogant. Self-centered. You think you can use any omega who comes along for your own pleasure and then discard them when you're done."

It wasn't even an exaggeration. Bard had seen it happen since he was a child, even if he didn't understand it at the time. It was only when he reached puberty that he realized the true danger an alpha posed for an omega, both physically and emotionally. 

As if to prove his point, Smaug's grip tightened on his captured wrist, squeezing so hard Bard could feel the bones grinding together. "That's quite a presumptuous statement to make."

"Doesn't make it any less true," Bard replied and jerked when the grasp Smaug had on him was near crushing. He tried to yank himself free but Smaug dragged him closer. Bard shoved at his chest with his free hand, growing more and more panicked with each passing second. Where was Thranduil? He wanted Thranduil. " _Let go_."

"I suggest you do as he says," a familiar voice said from just over his shoulder and Bard almost sobbed with relief when Thranduil's presence washed over him, protective and reassuring over their bond. "If you care to keep that hand, that is."

Smaug sneered. "And what will you do if I don't?"

The snap of bone was deafening when Thranduil moved faster than Bard could follow and broke Smaug's wrist. His hair stood on end at the way Smaug screamed, but Thranduil's face remained completely impassive about it. Bard stared as Smaug fell to the floor, continuing to cry out, and couldn't stop himself from flinching when Thranduil reached toward him. 

But instead of causing Bard anymore pain, Thranduil gently squeezed his wrist, checking to see how badly Smaug damaged it. "It doesn't seem to be broken," he said after a moment. "Just bruised. We should put some ice on it."

"I've already called the police, sir," the bartender said, somehow having returning without Bard noticing. She handed Thranduil ice wrapped in a clean dish cloth, who pressed it against Bard's wrist. "They said they'll be here shortly, along with the paramedics." She nudged Smaug with her boot. "I'll take care of this one."

"Thank you, Dis," Thranduil said and helped Bard to his feet, wrapping his dark grey coat around his shoulders before leading him to the office behind the bar. Bard let him guide him to an ugly but surprisingly comfortable green couch, which he sank into gratefully. 

When Thranduil started to pull away, Bard caught his sleeve without thinking, not wanting to let him go just yet. Because he was _here_ and he came to help Bard. His alpha saved and protected him. 

Thranduil didn't smile, but his eyes were warm as he slipped from his grasp. "I won't be long. I  just need to speak with the police, but keep that compress on. We'll have the paramedics take a look at you when they get here."

"Why?"

Thranduil blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Why are you here? How did you know where to find me?"

Those cool fingers that sent sparks all along his skin smoothed Bard's hair back from his forehead. It was so careful, his heart clenched from the delicacy of it. No one has ever touched him like this, cherished and held with such reverence. 

"I could feel you through our bond," Thranduil explained. "Your repulsion and fear, then your pain when he hurt you."

Bard tilted his face against the palm of his hand, wanting Thranduil to touch him more. Touch him _everywhere_. 

"Would you prefer giving your statement it to the police or shall I do it for you?" Thranduil asked abruptly in a strained voice and Bard startled, coming back to himself slowly. He glanced up at him and could have sworn that Thranduil looked a little flushed. 

Then Bard processed the question Thranduil asked him and frowned. The thought of Thranduil speaking on his behalf didn't sit well with him, but he wanted to speak to the police even less. Still, Bard appreciated Thranduil actually giving him a choice about it when he didn't have to. It was normal for alphas to speak on behalf of their omegas. "Please."

Thranduil nodded and seemed to let him go with great reluctance. "I will be return soon."

**Author's Note:**

> I've actually never tried writing this kind of fic before, so I did a lot of research before starting on it. This trope was a challenge for me to write because of all the consent issues and what it actually means to be an alpha/beta/omega. Also, I find it highly unlikely that only alphas and omegas are allowed to have children, since they're considered so rare and would leave such a large part of the population sterile. So while betas can have children (not only able to impregnate omegas but also be impregnated by them), soulbonds are only formed between alphas and omegas. 
> 
> Please feel free to leave kudos and comments to let me know what you think so far!


End file.
